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Illinois Archaeology Lecture Series
- 10956 N. Dickson Mounds Rd.
- Lewistown, IL 61542
ISM- Dickson Mounds Curator of Anthropology Logan Pappenfort will present From Piasa to payiihsaki: Supernatural Symbolism and Misconstrued Tales in the Illinois Valley as this month’s Illinois Archaeology lecture, on Sunday, October 15th at 2:00 p.m.
For Archaeologists and many occupants of the land we now call Illinois, one of the most enduring symbols has been that of the image of a creature long referred to as the “Piasa”. The Piasa is a term which has been used for decades to represent various iconography across the midcontinent. However, the truth of this tale has been building for over a century.
This talk will deconstruct the various stories in the modern day surrounding the Piasa, and how that narrative has been misinterpreted from its origins over the years. Pappenfort will present information from various lines of evidence, including ethnographic, historical, and oral traditions to elucidate the connection between the original native tradition of the payiihsaki and the modern-day interpretation of the “Piasa” and the many forms it takes.
The lecture begins promptly at 2:00 p.m. followed by light refreshments and an opportunity to meet with the speaker and museum staff. Admission is free; however, donations are appreciated. Registration is not required.
?qlt=100&ts=1695310008325&$ImageComponent$&fit=constrain "Image of Piasa Bird near Alton, IL")
- Image of Piasa Bird near Alton, IL